The Crystallite Game - Help

Aim of the game:

To succeed in this game you have to follow the liquid crystal patterns correctly.
You have to take control of a liquid crystal molecule and fit it into the regular pattern of other liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal molecules are symbolised by rectangles showing their position and orientation. Make sure that the orientation of your liquid crystal molecule aligns with the pattern of the other liquid crystal molecules before you place it!

The game has six levels, each level revealing a more complete pattern of liquid crystals.

a) Click on "Info" to find out how to navigate
b) Click on "Highscores" if you want so see other people's scores.
c) Click on "Start" when you are ready to see how to play the game.

a) Click on "Abort game" if you want to quit.
b) Click on "Ok!" if you want to start the game.

To play the game you have to rotate and orient the yellow liquid crystal, so that it aligns with the pattern of the other molecules, and place it in the gap. If you succeed, another row is built upon the last one. If you fail you lose points.

To move the yellow liquid crystal, use the following keys
Right: right arrow key
Left: left arrow key
Rotate to the left: upwards arrow key
Rotate to the right: downwards arrow key
Drop the crystal: spacebar

To complete each level you must successfully fill rows up to the green line. There are six levels in total, all based on real patterns found in liquid crystals. At the end of this Help document you will find a glossary to help explain some of the technical terms used to describe the different patterns found in liquid crystals.

Level 1: The smectic-A phase
The molecules in a smectic-A (see glossary) liquid crystal are ordered in layers. The molecules float around within layers but not in between different layers. The average orientation of the molecules in a smectic-A liquid crystal is 90 degrees from the direction of the layers.

Level 2: The smectic-C phase
As in the smectic-A phase, the molecules in a smectic-C liquid crystal are ordered in layers. The molecules float around within the layers but not between the layers. The average orientation of the molecules in a smectic-C liquid crystal is tilted against the direction of the layers.

Level 3: the smectic anti ferroelectric liquid crystal
The molecules in this crystal tilt in opposite directions in the altering layers.

A ferroelectric material is just like a magnet, but instead of a magnetic field, a ferroelectric material has an electric field.

Level 4: The smectic chiral liquid crystal
In this pattern the molecules in the liquid crystal are forced to change their orientation continuously which in turn produces a twisting pattern.

Chiral objects are objects that cannot be superimposed on its own mirror image, like left and right hands.
Here, the pattern is based on chiral liquid crystals in a smectic-C phase.

Level 5: The cholesteric phase A cholesteric (see glossary) liquid crystal is formed by strongly chiral molecules in the nematic phase (see glossary). In this phase, the molecules float around like a liquid but their orientation is ordered. The chirality forces the molecules in the liquid crystal to change their orientation continuously which in turn produces a twisting pattern.

Chiral objects are objects that cannot be superimposed on its own mirror image, like a left and right hand.

The game has another six levels - you can reach level 11!

Glossary:
Smectic phase = closer to the solid phase. The liquid crystals are ordered in layers.

Nematic phase = the simplest of the liquid crystal phases and closer to the liquid phase. Molecules float around like in a liquid, but are still ordered in their orientation.

Cholesteric = a special case of the nematic phase is called cholesteric. The molecules are closely aligned within a distinct series of layers, with the axes of the molecules lying parallel to the plane of the layers and with the orientation of molecules in adjacent layers rotated slightly.